Israel and majority Muslim Guinea announced the re-establishment of their diplomatic relations after a break of 49 years, a step that highlights Israel’s growing ties in Africa.

Guinea, formerly known as French Guinea, is a country of some 10.5 million people, 85% of whom are Muslim. It is a member of the 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry Director General Dore Gold met with the Chief of Staff of the Guinean President’s Office Dr. Ibrahim Khalil Kab in Paris where they signed a joint statement announcing the renewal of relations.

According to a statement from the Guinean presidency, ‘’after 49 year, Republic of Guinea and the State of Israel restore their diplomatic relations, like other countries in Africa, with the aim of developing and reinforcing their ties of friendship and cooperation on the basis of the universally recognized principles of international law.’’

Gold called it “an important closing of a circle,” after Guinea, a majority Muslim country, became the first African state to cut ties with Israel in the aftermath of the Six Day War in 1967. Many others followed suit after the Yom Kippur War six years later, following pressure from the Soviet Union and the Arab world.

Paul Hirschon, who is Israel’s ambassador in Senegal and a former foreign ministry spokesperson, will also become the envoy to Guinea.

Gold said: “Guinea and Israel are countries with a long history of friendship even during the period in which they had no diplomatic relations.”

Israeli press reports said that Israel’s aid and expertise to help combat the Ebola epidemic two years ago helped pave the way towards the announcement. Gold said they now “yearn to advance” bilateral cooperation yet further, especially in agriculture, water development and homeland defence.

One Israeli diplomatic official said that Guinea, like many other countries in Africa, was concerned about Islamic terrorism, and learning from Israel’s expertise in this matter was a major reason for the decision to restore ties.

Gold called on all countries that have yet to renew their ties with Israel to follow Guinea’s example. He added: “This way, we can all act together for the benefit of the region’s nations.” It was recently announced that Tanzania intends to open its first ever embassy in Israel.

Israel does not have diplomatic relations with the following sub-Saharan predominantly Muslim states: Mali, Chad, Niger, Sudan, Somalia, Djibouti, Comoros and Mauritania.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that improving relations in Africa is an important strategic objective.

Earlier this month, Netanyahu became the first Israeli Prime minister to visit Africa for decades, visiting Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia and Rwanda, in an attempt to strengthen diplomatic and commercial ties. Several of the leaders he met pledged to push for Israel’s reinstatement as an observer at the African Union regional bloc.

Netanyahu would like to convene a summit in West Africa in the near future, similar to the one he held two weeks ago in East Africa. Among the natural candidates to attend such a summit would be Togo, Benin, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Gabon, Cameroon, and – now – Guinea.

“It opens Israel up to Africa, and it obviously helps us in other aspects.”

Israeli officials are hoping that Netanyahu's recent visit -- the first by an Israeli prime minister to sub-Saharan Africa in three decades -- will usher in a new era in which Israel provides African states with security and agricultural assistance in return for support in international forums.

Dozens of African dignitaries have visited Israel in recent years, including Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Each year, Israel trains some 1,000 African students in a range of disciplines, in particular in modern agricultural methods, medicine and communications.

Israel played a prominent role in assisting newly independent African countries in the 1960s when Israel was deeply involved in the continent, sending agricultural experts, medical assistance and military advisers to the emerging African democracies.

But those relations crumbled in the 1970s, when Arab countries, promising aid, pressured African nations to limit or cut ties with Israel. The golden-era honeymoon between Israel and Africa ended with the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Most African nations broke off diplomatic relations with Israel, and rallied in support of Egypt and Syria.

Rise of jihadism across Africa

With the recent rise of jihadism across Africa, from Boko Haram in Nigeria to al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab militants in Somalia, Israel has found common ground with countries like Kenya, Uganda and Nigeria.

The "Golden Era" in African-Israeli relations has been restored to the days of the 1950s and 1960s, when then-Foreign Minister Golda Meir managed to do wonders in a continent that shared Israel's values (a desire for independence from colonial powers).

"Since 1982, the Africans realised they had made a mistake in cutting the ties," said Arye Oded, a former Israeli diplomat and expert on Africa.

In recent years, Israel's lack of progress in reaching peace with the Palestinians forced it to renew its African interests.

"Israel renewed its interest in Africa because there were difficulties with Europe and other places," Oded said.

At a recent conference on Africa-Israel ties, the foreign ministry's deputy director general for Africa, Yoram Elron, noted Israel's need for support from African nations in international forums.

"Today relations with the African continent are high on our foreign policy agenda," he told dozens of African dignitaries and diplomats.

"We're talking about some 45 countries in sub-Saharan Africa who vote in one bloc at the U.N.," he said.

Indeed in recent weeks Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta, Ghana's foreign minister and a delegation of African Muslim religious leaders visited Israel.

While Israel's trade with Africa constitutes only two percent of its foreign trade, the potential for growth exists.

"Africa, which has today one of the highest growth rates in the world, presents many business opportunities in areas Israel has extensive expertise, such as agriculture, telecommunications, alternative energy and infrastructure," Elron said.

He also noted Israel's intelligence and military expertise were valuable for African states dealing with groups such as Boko Haram, Al-Shebab and Al-Qaeda.

Security training and assistance

While Israeli military exports to Africa are limited, Israel provides several countries with security training and assistance.

Israeli defense officials say intelligence sharing is limited to a few close allies for now. Israel has military ties with several African countries, and Israel's Defense Ministry has given clearance for private Israeli security firms to operate in some nations, including some arms sales.

The threat of terrorism, which is of concern to more and more African nations – including Rwanda, Kenya, Ivory Coast and Ghana – has led to interest in Israeli counter-terrorism tactics and intelligence support.

In February, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta visited Israel and talked openly about the need to coordinate the international struggle against terrorism, Israel included.

He even suggested that in the future he might ask Israel to upgrade his air force.

In the military realm, there has been a major shift. Whereas in the past, Israeli arms sales to Africa, even if marginal, mainly focused on light weapons, firearms, mortar shells and armored vehicles, nowadays African nations are asking for more sophisticated equipment, such as control and command centers, and intelligence capabilities.

The Israeli security interest in Africa is also due to Iranian efforts to make inroads on the continent, as well as the presence of the pro-Iranian Lebanese Shi’ite organization Hezbollah in various parts of Africa, particularly on the western coast.

Currently, only 2 % of Israel's exports go to Africa and this could increase dramatically.

frica needs a lot of the know-how that Israel has, specifically in the area of water technology, agriculture, energy and cyber-security.

"From commercial relations, great diplomatic relations can follow," said Eli Groner, Director-General of the Prime Minister's Office, who insisted that one of key goals of Africa trip is to strengthen economic ties.

Today out of 48 Sub-Saharan African countries, Israel has diplomatic relations with 40.

by Yossi Lempkowicz. Yossi Lempkowicz is Senior Media Advisor of Europe Israel Press Association (EIPA)